INFORMAL DIALOGUE ON FAO-CSO ENGAGEMENT “How can FAO better engage CSOs for agrifood systems transformation: Towards designing a FAO-CSO Forum” Statement

INFORMAL DIALOGUE ON FAO-CSO ENGAGEMENT

“How can FAO better engage CSOs for agrifood systems transformation:

Towards designing a FAO-CSO Forum”

Statement

By

Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

7 June 2023

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Colleagues,

 

FAO is a UN specialized agency working for farmers, and for consumers – we are all consumers!

 

For many years FAO has not been in close dialogue with civil society, academia, NGOs or private sector.

 

However, based on my 40 years’ experience, I am very pleased to welcome you to FAO, and wish to thank you for supporting FAO, for supporting me, and the FAO Core Leadership, to change FAO.

 

That is an important driving-force: helping us to change the FAO culture, and the FAO business model, because we are now in a digital world, we are in a world that is open where you can access any information instantly online. 

 

That is why in FAO we need evolution. Firstly, we need you because you are the so-called Civil Society. Therefore, you are the real society, you touch the civil people.

 

That is why I really appreciate that you came to FAO to strengthen the collaboration and engagement with the Organization, and I also expect concrete results.

 

Four years ago, I started the Hand-in-Hand Initiative to build a broad partnership among the public sector, private sector, civil society, academia and NGOs.

 

Why did I start the Hand-in-Hand Initiative?

 

From the beginning, I said FAO is an intergovernmental organization, but we also need some level of engagement from other partners. FAO should be a platform for debate among Members and partners.

 

Different countries face different challenges, for this reason we need an open-dialogue hub, not only with government representatives, but we also need to get the inclusiveness from other key players.

 

This is why I started the Hand-in-Hand Initiative and offer the knowledge products based on big data.

 

The extraordinary challenges and crises we have faced over the past years have affected all of us. Firstly, the global pandemic which forced us, like all of you, to face the challenges together with Members, partners and the whole society.

 

These challenges have shown us the interconnected and truly global nature of our agrifood systems – as well as how fragile they are.

 

We need food, first. And then how to produce more with less: less input, less negative impact on the environment. No producers, whether big or small, want to destroy the environment, but we need more foods. Not only in Africa, but also in Europe. Look at Italy, for example, where food inflation over the past four years has been so high.

 

This evening I will be participating in a dialogue with the Minister for Agriculture and Food Sovereignty of Italy on Geographic Indication (GI) of products. This is very important to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. This is another example of the complexity of agrifood systems and the importance of working together.

 

FAO recognizes the important role of CSOs in the fight against hunger and agrifood systems transformation, because we need inclusiveness, as well as the wealth of knowledge and expertise you have.

 

Civil Society can help to build a bridge between the government and farmers, especially poor farmers and women in the rural areas. There are many roles you can play. For governments, you offer a platform, a channel or mechanism for different partners to participate. You can support a real people-centred government, and organization.

 

Another key role you play is through your inclusive and unique presence in the field, in close proximity to those who need it the most.

 

We value our collaboration with you, and I look forward to joining efforts in support of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, and for the transformation of global agrifood systems to ensure they are more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable.

 

For better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.

 

I always repeat this because that is the central theme for FAO's Strategic Framework for the next 10 years, which is the result of extensive debates and discussions among FAO staff, Ministers, academics, NGOs and the private sector.

 

This reflects the need not only to be more sustainable, but also to use our resources, such as water and land, more efficiently.

 

We also need to be more inclusive: between men and women, rich and poor, and urban and rural areas – inclusivity on three levels - because we all face the challenge of rapid urbanization.

 

With inclusivity comes resilience. We need to work together, sharing data to prevent extreme weather conditions such as floods. The recent floods in the Emilia Romagna Region here in Italy highlighted once again the importance of big rainfall data, of investing in infrastructure for water catchment, and for early warning to build resilience.

 

We cannot blame climate change because we are the ones responsible for climate change, but we need to put in place measures to prevent, address and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

 

With more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems we will achieve the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life.

 

Life quality is about much more than just livelihood – it covers a person’s whole life. As a biologist I look at the whole life span, from the very start to the end, and you need to have a better quality of life at each stage.

 

A Better Life includes the economic, social, environment, and ethnicity dimensions. As human beings we need ethnicity. You end life with a good ethnicity. That is what I mean.

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

We have a unique opportunity today to further consolidate our partnership.

 

We must explore innovative ways to strengthen engagement at all levels – from grassroots organizations to international networks. Therefore, we welcome you, sincerely welcome you, to work with our Country Offices in particular.

 

I know that this can take time as some countries are very large and it takes time to work down from FAO headquarters, down to the Regional Offices, the Sub-regional Offices, and then finally down to the Country Offices.

 

The FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, is together with us for the next 10 years, and I really hope you can help us to land the Actions Plans that we are going to promote for the next four years.

 

I believe that our partnerships must be sustainable, systemic and long-term, and help catalyse impact at scale – they must be transformative partnerships!

 

Let us continue to work together efficiently, effectively and coherently to use the World Food Forum for the positive outcomes of the FAO-CSO engagement.

 

We do not need to establish another “Forum” – the World Food Forum provides the context in which to strengthen our engagement. We must not work in silos.

 

The World Food Forum is composed of three pillars: one is Youth and Women Engagement, and includes Indigenous Peoples.

 

Please join the World Food Forum 2023, which will attract more than 100 Ministers and more than 20 world leaders, both physically and virtually. You are welcome to organize a side event during the Forum.

 

The second pillar is Science and Innovation, and the third pillar promotes the Hand-in-Hand Investment Plan. Please go the FAO website where you will find additional information.

 

Together with my Core Leaders, we work as a big team to ensure the World Food Forum is an important and impactful sharing platform.

 

I invite you to work with us, focused on FAO’s mandate of food and agriculture. That is my sincere hope that you can engage with FAO’s mission and work together.

 

Thank you.